He seized the lead on No. 18 after going putt for putt with Texan Patrick Reed, the leader heading into the day, down the back nine.
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“It’s definitely a true test of golf out here”, Fowler said after shooting a third-round 3-under-par 68 to take a one-stroke lead over Patrick Reed at 9-under 204 on Saturday at the FedEx Cup Playoffs kickoff event.
“Well, I think it’s pretty simple”, Fowler said. I mean the driver hasn’t been spot-on, but I know the reps that I’ve done hopefully will catch up to my game and I’ll start to drive a little bit better. “I’m going in thinking, “All right, I need to go win a golf tournament, and everything else will take care of itself”, he said. Reed came into the week at No. 8.
Fowler was at No. 12 going into the opening FedEx Cup event and needed at least a third-place finish to earn a spot.
And the 27-year-old is on course for a third appearance in the biennial event after amazingly dropping just one shot in the first 54 holes on one of the hardest courses in the world.
Stung after running up an ugly six at the par-four 10th, the world number three was calmed down by his caddie, Michael Greller, and went on to card a four-under-par 67 on the challenging layout at Bethpage Black. It could have been a different scenario had Reed not been flailing all over the front nine, making three bogies and three birdies, and then missing putts left and right while making nine pars on the back.
“It’s nice to finally see some putts go in”, Fowler said after a bogey-free round. “I feel like I’m really close”. “To have a few putts go in, to be able to get up and down for par and saving all those shots to keep momentum going, it makes all the difference”.
Emiliano Grillo finished secondnd a minus-6 69. Day made four consecutive birdies in the front nine but came undone at the par-four ninth, where he took a double bogey six after an errant drive.
Starting the day at one under and seven strokes off the lead, Scott began his day in grand fashion with an eagle on No. 1 and a birdie on No. 2.
Reed was left ruing what could be costly dropped shots over the closing stages of a mostly polished round.
Already leading the season long FedExCup race, Day is looking to become the first Australian in the 10-year history of the playoffs to win it all at next month’s Tour Championship, including the $US10 million ($A13.13 million) bonus. “I know Patrick is up there, and I’m now four back”.
Spieth missed the cut at The Barclays a year ago, and he started off Friday in that direction when his approach to the tough 10th buried in the lip of a deep bunker. It puts him in great position for a potential captain’s pick from Davis Love III, but Fowler hopes to make that option a moot point with his play during the final round.
And then he made a decision to start over. “But after that, like on Monday, it didn’t hurt that much and today it’s getting a lot better”, she said. Sauers two-putted for birdie on the par-5 18th for 5-under 67 and a two-stroke lead over Joe Durant. Still, this round could have gotten away from him early.
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“It is a major venue and it’s one of the biggest venues we play at”.
